Essays

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Overview

Reflections by the creator of the essay form display the humane, skeptical, humorous, and honest views of Montaigne, revealing his thoughts on sexuality, religion, cannibals, intellectuals, and other unexpected themes. Included are such celebrated works as “On Solitude,” “To Philosophize Is to Learn How to Die,” and “On Experience.”

Table of Contents

EssaysIntroductionTo the Reader

Book One7. That our actions should be judged by our intentions8. On idleness9. On liars10. That no man should be called happy until after his death21. On the power of the imagination22. That one man’s profit is another’s loss26. On the education of children27. That it is folly to measure truth and error by our own capacity28. On friendship31. On cannibals36. On the custom of wearing clothes47. On the uncertainty of our judgement50. On Democritus and Heraclitus55. On smells

Book Two8. On the affection of fathers for their children10. On books11. On cruelty17. On presumption28. All things have their season32. A defence of Seneca and Plutarch

Book Three2. On repentance3. On three kinds of relationships6. On vehicles8. On the art of conversation12. On physiognomy13. On experience